Presentation - Lampasas River Watershed Protection Plan

Lisa Prcin
Watershed Coordinator
Texas AgriLife Research at
Blackland Research & Extension Center
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Educational Materials
Branding of Project
◦ Logo
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Educational Opportunities
◦ Community Events
◦ Signage
◦ Brochures/Flyers
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Public Comment Period ended March 8th, 2010
Surface Water Quality Monitoring staff has
reviewed and incorporated comments
DRAFT 2010 Texas Integrated Report will be
presented to the TCEQ Commission for its
consideration to approve the IR and submit to the
EPA at the August 25th agenda.
Final draft and responses to public comments
will be posted on the following web site upon
Commissioner
approval: http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/complianc
e/monitoring/water/quality/data/10twqi/10twqi
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What does the Lampasas River and
Watershed mean to you?
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Clear water
Kayaking
Swimming
Fishing
Hanna Springs Pool
Habitat
Rugged rangeland
Lush river bottoms
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What Does “Lampasas” Really Mean
◦ One of the earliest definitions found so far appeared in the Galveston Daily
News of June 24, 1884, which said, "Lampasas is of Spanish etymology
and signifies a level plain or tract of country."
◦ Other sources say it is a Mexican word meaning "water lilies," or an Indian
word meaning "firefly."
◦ The 1936 Texas Historical Marker for the county reads: "The name
Lampazos, first given to the river by the Spaniards, was suggested by the
many cockle-burs in the region." That may be a mistake in understanding
the Spanish definition or a local Mexican term of Lampazos.
◦ Gilberto Galindo and his grandson, Leo Ibarra, made the trip from Mexico
to Lampasas to find out what they could about our city. Gilberto does not
speak English and brought his grandson along to translate.
◦ Through Gilberto's translator, I think I learned that "Lampazo" and
"Lampazos" are names for different plants. And after their visit, I went to
the Internet and found that Lampazo might mean "burdock," and
Lampazos might be the name for the plant we call elephant ears.
◦ Burdock are sometimes confused with cockleburs and rhubarb.
**Excerpt from Lampasas Dispatch Record; Sept 9, 2008
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Watershed Protection Campaign Brochure
Tributary and Watershed Roadway Signage
Rainwater Harvesting Education
Elementary School Water Quality Project
Urban Runoff
◦ Stormwater BMP Demonstration
◦ Household Hazardous Waste Collection Days
◦ Pet Waste Programs
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Septic Systems
◦ Online Training for Septic System Owners
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Wastewater
◦ Fats, Oils, and Grease Workshops
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Agriculture
◦ Soil and Water Testing Campaigns
◦ Livestock Grazing Management
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Wildlife and Non-Domestic Animals
◦ Feral Hog Management Workshops
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Illegal Dumping/Litter Campaign
◦ Identification of Priority Clean-up Sites
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Establish a Brand
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Deliver Basic Facts about the Arroyo Colorado
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Raise Awareness and Increase Community Involvement in
the ACWP Initiative
◦ Logo
◦ Watershed Brochure
◦ Presentations
◦ Fact Sheets
◦ Public Service Announcements
◦ Utility Bill Inserts
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Develop Partnership Agreements for Message Distribution
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Create Micro-campaigns for Specific Target Audiences
◦ Target Agricultural, Ecotourism, Sportsmen, Educational
Organizations
◦ Customize Outreach Efforts to Target Audiences
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Institutionalize a Practice of Campaign Evaluation
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Establish Volunteer Monitoring Programs
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Collaborate with Government Agencies Offering
Environmental E&O
◦ Telephone Research and Stakeholder Interviews
◦ Texas Stream team
◦ Conduct Water Quality and Nonpoint source Pollution
Conferences and Workshops
◦ TPWD Wildlife Expos
◦ Glean Texas GreenScapes
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Collaborate with NGOs Supporting Environmental
Education and Conservation Programs
◦ Annual Irrigation Conference
◦ Ducks Unlimited
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Broad-based programs targeted at general public
Targeted programs intended to reach specific
audiences within the watershed
Concerns already raised by Work Groups:
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Illegal dumping
Solid waste removal at hunting camps
Feral hog control
Brush control
Septic tank maintenance
New small acreage homeowner educational materials
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Water camp for children
Water quality monitoring program within
schools
River cleanups
Waterway signage
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Bell County Kidfest – July or August
Kids Expo at Bell County Expo Center
Celebrate Killeen!
Bell County Crop and Livestock Conference
Bell County Professional Groundskeeper Council
Bell County Water Symposium – November
Lampasas Spring Ho
Harker Heights 50th anniversary “Dana Peak Park”
Willow Springs Elementary School Science Fair – May 14
Earth Day – Harker Heights Elementary School
Earth Fest – Lampasas – May
National Pollution Day – September 28 –Killeen
Others??
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Possible dates for July Steering Committee
meeting
◦ Thursday, July 8th
◦ Thursday, July 15th
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Tentative items for discussion
◦ Sampling location recommendations for upcoming
Bacterial Source Tracking project
◦ Steering Committee approval of initial SELECT analysis
◦ Discussion of bacterial load reductions based on LDC
analysis
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NRCS Riparian Function Workshop
◦ Is there any interest in organizing one for stakeholders